A to Z Blogging Challenge - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Manatees

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

I had to pick two ‘Ms’ even though I know that will make this post too long.

 

 Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings wrote about ‘my’ native land in “South Moon Under” (the first of hers that I read), “When the Whippoorwill,” “Cross Creek” and “the Yearling” and captured, for me, the essence of the deep hammock with its palmettos, white-sand trails, piney woods and giant oaks.

MKR first novel

I reveled with her in the slight coolness of a breeze floating down a hot, humid hall that ran the length of a typical wooden north Florida house from front screen door to back screen door.

MKR home in the park

She captured the atmosphere in the 30s and 40s of racial divides and the way folks lived ‘around’ each other, stepping carefully so as not to overturn the ‘balance.’ I empathized with her tales of loss and learning from the land and people. Her words expressed what my heart knew but couldn’t say. If you have the chance to read her stories, please give especially “South Moon Under” a try and perhaps you’ll also feel the heartbeat, the mystery, and the excitement of discovery that I did when I first read her.
Oh, and she has a state park named after her…

 How could I write about North Florida and not mention Manatees? 

Our young Frenchman's first experience

Those great “so-ugly-they-are-beautiful” gentle beasts that defy man’s reign on their territory with steady, benevolent endurance. Talk about the perfect example of non-violent manifestation. For animals that don’t move very fast, these great “sea-cows” shock and awe everywhere they go. We were lucky enough one year to stay aboard a friend’s boat docked in a marina in Titusville, FL for a few days. No sooner had we arrived and started to cart our belongings down the dock, than we glance into the water, as one does, and saw manatees! I mean RIGHT there, so close we could touch them. Only then did we notice the signs everywhere telling you not to touch them. At the time we had a young Frenchman staying with us and who were we to tell him that the magical animals were off limits? He’d traveled over 3000 miles to visit Florida; I wasn’t about to tell him he couldn’t touch the beasts lounging in the water next to him. Plus, I have to admit, I had never, ever been so close to one before.   Did I say magic? Yes, these huge mammals are fascinating. They move like miniature whales, with a slow grace that belies any stress on their part. Already this post is too long, so I will leave you with; if you ever come to North FL, find a manatee to goggle at. They are well worth the effort…  

We all three caressed the mother’s rough, scarred back as she floated peacefully alongside the dock with her baby. We didn’t touch the baby.

Here is a site to help you find manatees:

http://www.savethemanatee.org/places.htm

Images from:

pinterest.com

authors.simonandschuster.com.au

floridafotos.blogspot.com

animalscamp.com

jon-atkinson.com